Another fun adventure from J. Scott Savage! I have thoroughly enjoyed this elementary school/middle grade series. It’s a book that parents would definitely approve of and enjoy reading along with their children. I loved the funny puns and humor, the creative puzzles and mysteries they have to solve, and the life lessons shared subtly throughout.

Graysen Foxx is on another quest, this time to find a creepy painting that will help his treasure hunting sidekicks Maya and Jack win their classroom Halloween decorating contest. But, Ordinary Elementary is anything but ordinary as the kids have previously discovered. On their mission to find the painting, they uncover another mystery, an old spelling bee medal with a strange inscription on the back.

Before they can figure out what the medal means, a ninja like 2nd grader steals the medal right out of their hands. This starts them on an investigation that will test all of their skills and friendship leading to an encounter with a super smart group called the illuminerdy. They guard a particularly amazing secret which the friends are determined to uncover. From alligators to abacuses, they face it all on their action-packed, fun filled adventure.

This book was so much fun and I loved the narration of Graysen Foxx. He’s such a fun kid with a wicked smart sense of humor and a gift for leadership. There were so many great messages in this story that were delivered in an entertaining way. I loved the teamwork, friendships, and lesson that just because you fail at something doesn’t mean you’re doomed to failure. I loved the way the kids each used their specific talents to solve the puzzles and riddles. Music, chemistry, engineering, math, computer programming, and science problems were all featured in this amazing adventure.

I loved the setting where there are secret passageways, hidden secrets, and all kinds of imaginative scenarios that took me back to my own childhood. Who hasn’t wished to find a secret passage in the school basement? Where there are so many books nowadays that rely on crude humor and silly jokes, this book excels in intelligent humor, witty observations, and fun.

Highly recommend this book and the entire series to elementary school aged kids and up. While it’s the second book in the series, it could be read as a standalone, but is more enjoyable if you’ve read the first book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. ( )